Greater benefit of early invasive strategy for unstable angina and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction in United States compared with non-United States patients: a TACTICS-TIMI 18 substudy.

Background: The TACTICS-TIMI 18 (Treat Angina with Aggrastat and Determine Cost of Therapy with an Invasive or Conservative Strategy - Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 18) trial compared routine invasive to conservative care for the management of patients with unstable angina and non ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and included the routine use of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban in the initial medical stabilization of all patients.

Methods: Because previous trials utilizing IIb/IIIa inhibition for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients have demonstrated different outcomes in non-US and US patients, the authors sought to determine whether differences in baseline characteristics and practice patterns between 1844 US and 376 non-US patients and physicians would affect outcomes in the TACTICS-TIMI 18 trial. Event rates were stratified by treatment strategy and adjusted for baseline and treatment differences between cohorts.

Efficacy of simvastatin therapy in attainment of LDL-C and TG goal levels in patients with type 2 diabetic dyslipidemia.

Background: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been identified as the primary target of cholesterol-lowering therapy, with the LDL-C goal set at ≤100 mg/dL for patients at high risk, such as those with diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of simvastatin (S) in achieving LDL-C levels <70 mg/dL in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, three-way crossover, placebo (PL)-controlled study that evaluated S80 mg or S40 mg versus PL for increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

The effect of routine, early invasive management on outcome for elderly patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Although increasing age is an important risk factor for adverse outcome among patients with acute coronary syndromes, elderly patients are more often managed conservatively.

Objective: To examine outcome according to age and management strategy for patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI).

Design: Randomized, controlled trial conducted from December 1997 to June 2000.

Dorzolamide/Timolol fixed combination versus concomitant administration of brimonidine and timolol in patients with elevated intraocular pressure: a 3-month comparison of efficacy, tolerability, and patient-reported measures.

Background: To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering effect, tolerability, and patient-reported measures of the dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination and the concomitant administration of brimonidine and timolol after 3 months.

Methods: Four hundred ninety-two patients with ocular hypertension, primary open-angle glaucoma, exfoliative glaucoma, or pigmentary glaucoma participated in this randomized, observer-masked, multicenter study. Following 3 weeks of timolol monotherapy, patients with a peak IOP of > or = 2 mm Hg were randomized to receive either fixed combination dorzolamide/timolol twice daily or concomitant brimonidine plus timolol twice daily for 3 months.

Dorzolamide/timolol combination versus concomitant administration of brimonidine and timolol: six-month comparison of efficacy and tolerability.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of the 2% dorzolamide/0.5% timolol combination ophthalmic solution twice daily to the concomitant administration of 0.2% brimonidine ophthalmic solution twice daily and 0.